Laundry is an unavoidable chore, and washing towels can feel like a never-ending hassle. They shouldn’t be mixed with other laundry, yet always end up taking longer to dry than lightweight items like T-shirts and activewear. But how often should you really wash them? We asked a cleaning expert and a physician to find out. 

How Often Should You Wash Your Towels?

According to cleaning expert Robin Murphy, bath towels get a lot of use, and it’s easy to forget how quickly they can go from fresh and fluffy to musty and questionable. “If you’re using a towel to dry off after a shower each day, you should wash it every three to four uses,” she explains. However, this rule applies to those who hang their towels to dry and not those left on the floor or thrown in a bathroom corner (hey, it happens sometimes). “A towel that stays damp becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, and even if you can’t see it, you’ll smell it!”

How to Know If You Aren’t Washing Your Towels Often Enough

If you’re washing your towels every three to four uses but they’re still not fresh, you may need to wash them more frequently, Murphy says. “If your towel has a sour or musty smell, feels rough or stiff, or seems like it’s just moving water around instead of absorbing it, that’s a sign it’s time to wash it,” she explains. If you’re having skin issues such as an itchy rash after drying off, you may also need to replace your towel more often. “The same goes if you notice any skin irritation after using it,” Murphy says. “A clean towel should smell like nothing—or, at most, like your laundry detergent. Anything beyond that is a sign it needs a refresh.”

How Often Should You Wash Hand Towels?

Many of us are reluctant to wash hand towels because they’re often decorative, or we get busy and forget. However, Murphy insists that hand towels need even more frequent washing than bath towels. “These tend to be used more often by more people and don’t always get a chance to dry fully,” she says. “I wash mine every two to three days. It doesn’t take long for a hand towel to go from useful to gross, especially in a busy household.”

How Often Should You Wash Your Towels If Someone Is Sick?

Many of us believe we should replace our towels more frequently when we’re sick, but the thought of doing laundry while feeling unwell can make you feel worse. According to Dr. Hayley Goldbach, MD, board-certified dermatologist, your bath towels should be fine—but it’s important to be mindful of hand towels. “Although most common cold virus particles don’t live long on fabric, I would recommend washing any shared towels much more frequently than other linens,” she says. “There are some viruses that can be spread through shared towels. And there are certain viruses that are much more hearty and hard to kill.” She recommends washing your hand towels on a heated setting every couple days (or more) if someone in your house is sick.

But don’t worry about buying laundry sanitizers or other special products for cleaning hand towels. “I never recommend laundry sanitizers,” Dr. Goldbach says. “Hot water with detergent should kill most viruses or bacteria. I recommend a non-scented detergent that is gentle on the skin; if something is particularly gross, I will add vinegar to the wash—it’s naturally antimicrobial and nontoxic.”